Predicting iGaming’s Biggest Trends

Posted on 2018-02-07 by Sean Williamson

The iGaming industry is always awash with brand new innovations, products, and creative casino games. 2018 is already set to be a big year in the world of online and mobile casino games, with some exciting new trends expected to arise throughout the course of this year.

One of the first trends to look out for will be virtual reality technology. Many operators have already begun to introduce VR technology to their platforms, and as VR headsets become easier and more affordable to obtain, iGaming brands are becoming more and more willing to offer VR casino games to players across the globe.

Of course, live dealer casino games will also remain popular this year, with a number of big developments in store as well. The increasing popularity of live gaming and VR technology could make for some interesting collaborations between the two, with many developers planning to create virtual reality real-time casino games that bring players even close to the real casino floor.

Big Data, Skills Games And Mobile

Skill-based casino games are also expected to explode in 2018, especially among younger players. Gamification modules that incorporate the solving of tasks into casino games are also particularly popular among Millennials, and these players can expect to see many more casino games packing immersive missions, quests and rewards in the near future as a result.

Big Data is taking hold in the casino world, as it provides storage for a huge amount of data. The iGaming industry aims to use Big Data to adapt their games to the interests and desires of specific target audiences, improving their overall offerings. On this note, mergers and acquisitions will also be prolific as always this year, and even more so as the gambling market grows to exceed an estimated $60 billion value by just 2020.

Custom Slots And Cryptocurrencies

Experts have also predicted that the rise of mobile gaming will continue throughout this year, in part thanks to the increasing integration of messenger-based features. Messengers like Hangouts, Whatsapp and Facebook Messenger are all exceedingly popular at the present, making them ideal vehicles for ‘telegram casinos’ that allow players to enjoy instant gaming opportunities on smartphone and tablet.

Yet another big trend to watch will be custom slots games, according to the casino data agency’s report. The creation of custom slots gives operators a competitive edge, as well as attracting more players with a completely unique offering.

And lastly, while Bitcoin’s value may have dropped somewhat last month, cryptocurrencies may still reign supreme in iGaming this year thanks to their convenience and anonymity. Keep an eye on Ethereum, Dogecoin, Litecoin, Ripple, Monero and Zcash, as these digital currencies are all expected to grow exponentially within the next few months.